Automatic train pipe connector



Feb. 6, 1940. J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTOR Filed April 9,1935 INI/ENTOR Jose/:fx e bin sonl BY Ro@ W fu'sA TToRNEYs.

Patented Feb. 6,` 1940 QPTENTLoI-FICE AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTORJosephRobinson, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to'Roy WolvinApplication April9, 1935, Serial No. 15,458

l s claims.' (c1. 2785;'58)

This invention relates toautomatic train pipe connectors, and has amongits objects to provide novel means for yieldinglysupporting theconnector head and for facilitating its couplingv operation. Theconstruction and advantages of my improvement appear from the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawing, in which y Figure 1 is afragmentary sectional side elevation of my improved means for yieldablysup porting a connector head. In this view the forward part ofthesupporting means and the cou- I pling head are not shown;

Figure `2 is a sectional plan view of the parts of my improvement whichare omitted in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional front elevation on about the line 3-3 of Figure1, and

' Figure 4 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1`broken away just below the horizontal pivot |20.`

Referring to the drawing: My improved automatic connector support placesthe buffer spring J to one side of and preferably above the longitudinalaxis of the connector, and includes a novel means for removably securingthe conduit 2 in the connector head A. `A housing or hollow bracket K,having a reinforced rib ||4 is forked f atits forward end to straddlethe coupler lug 84 to which it is secured by bolts or rivets 5. Thisbracket extends rearwardly of the lug, preferably horizontally, asubstantial distance, and at its rear end is provided with a flatinclined portion or seat ||6 of suitable transverse length. Through thisseat I Apass -a tie rod which extends forwardly to a position'near therear side of the lug 84. At this point I provide the bracket or' housingK with a pair of inwardly-extending lugs ||8 on which to rest this sideof `the tie rod and to support it and its associated .parts as shown.Near its rear end I provide the housing K with a pair of downwardlyextending lugs I9 between which Iv pivotally mount, as by thehorizontally arranged pivot pin |20, a rocker arm |2|. The upper portionof this arm comprises asuit# ably shaped head |22 having a flat rearsurface which normally rests against the inclined seat H6. Onits frontface, and above the pivot |20. the rocker arm is provided with a partspherical seat |23 in which a spring seat |24 is mounted for rockingmovement thereon. The tie rod passes through these parts, has ampleclearance' in the member "|22, and a bearing |25-in the spring seat ofsufficient depth' to avoid undue` at one end by the spring seat |24 andat the other end by the adjustable nut or abutment I 26,

` I mount a suitable buier spring J 4which is assembled with a suitableamount of initial compression. Below the pivot |20 the rocker arm |2`|is provided with a paddle-like portion |2'Iv of shape land thicknessdesired. Spanning this portion of the rocker arm, and securely pivotedto it by the pin'or bolt v|28 I provide an anchor or link member |29`having an upwardly inclined rear face |30 which normally bearsyagainst, and has supporting relation to, the complementary inclined rearface |3| of the rocker arm |2|. Suitably secured to the member |29, asby threads and av pin |32, I provide a suitable steel tube L which isthreadingly connected with and locked to the shank 8 of the couplinghead A as at |35. The thread on the yoke or forward end of the tube Lisof substantial length, and at its forward end the tube is slotted as at|36 to slidingly receive the pin 31 which suitably lits in the head ofthe thrust orplnger vpin |38. 'I'he head of this pin is provided with anannu- `lar seat'against one end of which a spring '|39' acts. The otherend of the spring rests against a f wall in the shank 8, through whichwall the pin |38 passesand ymoves in a suitable bearing |40 therein.,'I'he'purpose ofthe pin is to removably by the reverse ofvthisoperation. It will be understood, of course,`thatthe lock spring |39shifts the pin out of engagement with the lug B vas the nut |4| isretracted.` The nutincludes a portion l |42 which extends over the pin|31 to prevent accidental c lisengage'ment` of the latter from the headof the plunger |38, and it also includes afportion |43'v which carriesthe wrench |44,` a snap ring" |43 lbeing arranged in a groove in theportion |43, after the wrench |44 is put in place,`to preventdisplacementof the wrench. The portions or extensions |42and |43 serve4also to protect against damage the threads along When it is desired vtoremove ther'itting 2 to replace a worn gaskety which the nut |41travels.

5, or for otherreason, the wrench is slipped over the nut, |4|,`r andlthrough the medium of a weighted handle |45 onthe wrench, the nut isretraced along` the yoke .or pipe L sufliciently to fully. release'thelug 6 with respect to the retaining p'inf'l,afterwhichtheconduit 2 maybe` readily removed. The reverse of this operation will assemble theconduit in the coupling head A better illustrate it. vOrdinarily ithangs of cours below the yoke or pipe L. i

When a pair of connectors constructedaccording to the embodiment of myinvention shown in Figures 1-4 inclusive come together in service, thetube L is pushed rearwardly, which rocks the arm |2| about its pivot |20and causes the spring J to be compressed.,V During this move- 1 ment theupper portion |22 of the rocker arm moves forward away'from the seat H6,and inasmuch as the bearing IM of the rocker arm on the pin .|213 curveshorizontally as well as vertically the rocher arm is free to oscillateuni- `versally .on the pin $21@ when lthe flange or head l|22 leaves theseatili as stated. While this change in .the position of the parts istaking place under the Acoupling movement of the connector' head A, theconnection between the link 13|) and the face 'li .of the `rockerparm isalso being released, and `becomes completely free when the rocker armmoves tothe coupled position yshown in dotted lines in Figure xl. Ar-Ihecoupling head A is then'free v.to vpivot downwardly on -t-he pin |28, itbeing always free to move upwardly about such pin. it wiiibe understoodthat when the rocker arm |29 is in the normal uncoupled position shownlin full'lines in Figure l the coupling head A' and the yoke L are.supported in the norinal horizontal' ...coupiing position, and againstdownward rotation on the pivot |28, by Aengagement of the.- parts :|318and |34, and that the .coupling head A is centered laterally byengagement, under pressure of the spring J, of the flat iiange orY head,|22 against the front face of Ithe seat H5. It will also be understoodthat the coupling headvA 4may be moved laterallyand downwardly vfrom,the normal uncoupled. position subject to the resistance of the springJ. Thus this spring serves -notonly to retain the gaskets 5, and Athecoupling headA in firm engagement when coupled, but also to support the.uncoupled head A inthe nor-mal horizontal position for universal`movement from such position. The length of lthe iinaor` paddle-shapeportion |2'i of the rocker arm, and the vertical width of such portionand of the link |29, .and the fit between these parts, should be such asto prevent undue stress on any of thev parts when the coupling head AAis moved laterally or downwardly from the normaluncoupled position, fandsuch also as .to prevent undue rotation .of `the head about itslongitudinal axis.

The terms and expressions ployed jin this ,applicationl are 'used' asterms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, inthe use of such terms and `expressions, ofexcluding any equivalents ,ofthe fea-V tures shown .and described or portions thereof, but recognizethat various modifications are possible within the scope of theinvention claimed. What I claim is: l. An automatic train pipe'connectorsupport comprising, in combination, a lug adapteduto be mounted upon acar coupler, a bracket secured to said lug, said :bracket extendingrear- Wardly from the lug asubstantial distanceand 'f provided at itsrear end with a flat forwardly` inclined seat, a tie r'od .extendingthrough said Seat and forwardly. to a point adjacent to uref coupler lugaforesaid, means on said bracket for supporting the forward end of said.tie rod, al

spring seat on the forward end of said tie rod and a second spring seatslidablymounted on said tie. rod, `a lcoil spring encirclingmsaid tierod and interposed between said spring seats,

, said second mentioned spring seat having a part- `ly spherical portionfacing'rearwardly, a rocker arm pivotally mounted on said bracket withits pivotal axis 'located below .the spring and tie rod aforesaid, ,saidrocker arm extending upwardly fromsaid pivot and having its upperextremity formed complemental to and interposed be,-

tween the .partlyspherical portion of the second r mentioned spring seatand the forwardly inclined Seaton said bracket, saidrocker arm alsoextending vdovviswafr611:57from its pivot and hav-- ing a relativelythin vhoriz-ronta'lly elongated low- '.erfextreinity proyidedwith aforwardly and downl warcll-y inclined rear face, a member pivotallysecured :to-and `embracing the lower eXtrem-ity ,of said rocker arm,-said niember beingzproyidedat v its rear end with a face inclinedcomplementary to the inclined rear face of the lowerextremity voftherocker arm, said member 4also extending forwardly from the rocker armsubstantialiy horizontally and adapted to carry a connector head at itsforward end.' i

2. An automatic trainpipe connector support comprising, in combination,a lug adaptedto be gdependingly secured topa carcouplerja bracket i forlimiting the rocking movementof thearm y aforesaid, said .rocker .arrnbeing extended below its pivot,a forwardly extending connector headmounting member pivotally secured to the lower` .extremity .of saidrocker arm, means-on said last mentioned memberv andthe lower extremityof said rocker arm y,for limiting :the pivotal move-A ment of Saidmember relatively to said rocker arm whereby to maintain said ymember.in a Vsub'- stantially horizontal and forwardly thrusted positionincident to the'urging of the upper extremity of` the rocker arm to the`limit of itsfrnovernentl by the yieldable means aforesaid, landpermitting free oscillation about the pivot in avertical plane when therockeriarm is rocked in an oppoy site direction pursuant totheapplication of rearj ward thrust on the connector head mounting member.

3. In an automatictrain pipe connectontlin combination, a coupler lug,or thelike, a bracket extending rearwardly therefrom, a rocker'mem-Aber pivoted between its upper and -K lower ends upc-n the said bracket,spring means coacting ,6 5 with the rocker member and including aspring;v 7 f a spring seat having a ball and `socket-like engagementwith the upper end of the rocker member, a tie rod passing looselythrough-the -upper end of the rocker member engaging'the bracket at oneend, an abutment on the other end of v *said `tie rod connecting withthe spring atthe end opposite the spring seat thereof, and acouplngheadmounted upon the lowerend of the rocker member. f .l e,

e C, (is

4. An automatic train pipe connector as claimed in claim 3, combinedwith a horizontal member extending from the lower end of the lrockermember and carrying the coupling head,

'said horizontal member comprising a link part pivoted to the lower endof the rocker member and having an abutment to engage the latter tolimit the movement of the coupler in one direction relatively to therocker member, said link part permitting free movement of the cou plinghead in an opposite direction, relatively to the rocker member.` f

5. A train pipe connector' `as claimed in claim 3, wherein the saidbracket is hollow and forms a housing for the spring seat and the upperend of the rocker member, the said bracket at its rear end being formedwith a surface inclining forwardly and downwardly and adaptedto beengaged with the upper end of the rocker member through the cooperationof the spring acting upon the spring seat.

6; An automatic train pipe connector of' the class described,comprising, in combination, a supporting bracket, a rocker memberpivoted between its upper and lower ends to said bracket, a couplinghead carried by the lower end of the rocker member and spring meanscoacting with v the upper end of the rocker member above its pivot pointand comprising a spring, and a spring JOSEPH ROBINSON.

